Stencil printing attachment for vertical bed printing presses



2 Sheets-Sheet l W. R. RESPESS Filed Sept. 15, 1930 kw N STENCIL PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR VERTICAL PRINTING PRESS ES V June 7, 1932.

wqsq mm M? June 7, 1932. w. R. RESPESS STENCIL PRINTING ATTACHMENT Ton YERTIQAL BED PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept." 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll'l Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM R. RESPESS, OF ST. GEORGE, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO JOHN S. McMAI-ION AND J'. H. ERNST, J R., BOTH OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK STENCIL PRINTING- ATTACHMENT FOR VERTICAL BED PRINTING PRESSES Application filed September 13, 1930. Serial No. 481,609.

This invention relates to a stencil printing attachment for vertical bed printing presses and more particularly to a stencil printing attachment for printing presses of the above mentioned type which may be readily substltuted for the usual type chase, type and printing blocks employed on such presses.

As is well known in the art, printing presses of the vertical bed type are presses which are constructed in such manner that the main operating parts stand perpendicularly upon a supporting base. These main operating parts comprise a bed for the chase of the press which has imparted thereto an upand down motion and a carrying frame for a revolving cylinder, which cylinder carries the paper stock to be printed, and which is also given an up and down motion;

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a stencil printing attachment which may be readily attached and detached from the press bed of a vertical printing press and which may be substituted for the usual type chase, type and printing blocks of such type of press.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of feeding or supplying ink, paint or other printing medium to the stencil printing attachment.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the quantity of ink or paint that is supplied to the stencil printing attachment is accurately controlled.

Another feature of the invention relates to the combination of a reciprocating stencil frame in a vertical bed printing press and an ink or paint reservoir mounted beneath said frame and adapted to be reciprocated relatively to said frame.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter described, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings and in the following description only sufiicient portions of the vertical bed printing press will be disclosed as are sufiicient to enable a clear Fig. 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing the stencil frame of my attachment in place with respect to the ink or paint reservoir and also showing the relative: position of the cylinder of the press which carriesv the paper or other print receiving surface with respect to the stencil frame;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of F 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view in section of the stencil frame, ink reservoir and roller showing the reservoir and cylinder in another position with respect to the stencil frame; 7

Fig. 6 is a broken perspective view of a portion of the ink or paint reservoir;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view in elevation of the stencil frame assembly showing the manner of its attachment to the press bed of the vertical printing press.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the metal cylinder paint or ink supply tank for the attachment Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 7, the stencil frame assembly, forming part of my invention, consists principally of a metal frame divided into two sections 1 and 2, which are adapted to be detachably clamped or screwed together in any suitable manner. The stencil fabric 3 is adapted to be stretched over the metal section 1 and its edges are clamped be tween sections 1 and 2 of the metal frame. The clamping of the stencil fabric between sect-ions 1 and 2 insures the required tautness of said fabric when mounted in the frame and at the same time permits the easy removal of a particular stencil when desired and the replacing of a new stencil in place thereof. In order to accurately place the stencil in the frame, pins 4 are provided on section 1 of the frame which are adapted to register with holes placed in the stencil fabric and in the frame section 2. Through this arrangement of holes in the stencil fabric. and the registering pins 4 on the frame it is possible to print different colors with the one stencil frame, and thus insure accuracy of register between the different colored sections to be printed.

Secured to the top and bottom portions of section 2 of the stencil frame are spacing bars 5 and 6. Mounted on said spacing bars are the clamps or brackets 77, 8, 9 and 10 which permit the attachment of the stencil frame assembly to the bed 11, of the press in such manner that the frame and the stencil fabric are spaced from the bed of the press the width of the spacing bars 5 and 6.

The ink or paint reservoir for supplying the printing medium to the stencil fabric is designated generally by the numeral 12 (see Fig. 1) and is adapted to be positioned behind the stencil frame and in the space between said frame and the bed 11 of the press created by the spacer bars 5 and 6,'(see Figs. 4 and 5). The ink or paint reservoir comprises a metallic boxlike structure with one open side. The ends of the reservoir are closed by the ends 13 and 14 and the side portion by the side 15. The top and bottom portions of the reservoir are-closed by bars 16 and 17. The front or open face of the reservoir is adapted to be placed towards the underside of the stencil fabric 3 when the reservoir is in operative position.

, The top bar 16 of the paint reservoir extends beyond the end portions 13 and 14 thereof and also beyond the sides of the stencil frame assembly when said reservoir is in place. The ends of the lower enclosing bar 17 of the reservoir extend beyond the end portions 13 and 14 thereof but only extend to the sides of the stencil frame assembly.

Through each end portion 13 and 14 of the ink'or paint reservoir and extending into the chamber of said reservoir are positioned four metal tubes 20, 21, 22 and 23. Each of these tubes are of different lengths at their free ends in the reservoir and they are positioned in such manner with respect to the interior of the reservoir that their outlet ends are spaced apart. The other ends of said tubes are mounted in square metal tubes 24 and 25 which are closed at their upper ends and which are located on the exterior of the said reservoir at each end thereof. The lower ends of the square metal tubes are adapted to be connected to rubber tubes 26 and 27 (see Fig. 1). The rubber tubes 26 and 27 are adapted to extend down along the side of the stencil frame and connect with a paint supply pressure reservoir attached to the base of the press, as will be more fully described hereinafter. For the purpose of providing a more uniform distribution of the ink the front or open face of the reservoir may be provided with a profusely perforated plate.

In the paint reservoir box 12 are positioned two prism shaped squeegees 28 and 29 which controlled pressure and steady even flow of the ink or paint to the squeegees and to the stencil. V

Th'e'pai-nt or ink reservoir is supported behind the'stencil fabric frame by means of the rods 32 and 3.3 which are adapted to slidably extend through'the holes 18 and 19 in the top enclosing bar 16 of the reservoir.-

The-upper ends of these rods are provided with suitable nuts 34 and35 and the lower ends-'areconnected in any suitable manner such as by the links 36, to the supporting frame for thecylinder 37, and are adapted to move upwards and downwards with said cylinder when it is operated by said frame during the printing operation.

' The rods 32 and 33 are also of such length that normally the ink reservoir is positioned so thatthe lowermost squeegee 29 is always in line with the highest point on the circumference of the cylinder 37 as said cylinder moves across the outer face of the stencil fabric during theprinting operation.

' The ink reservoir is normally locked to the rods 32 and33 so that it will move therewith by means of the sliding bars 38 and 38 which are slidably mounted on the upper face of the bar 16 of the said reservoir. The sliding bars 38 and-38 are held to bar- 16 by means of the screws 39 and 40 which operate in slots 41 and 42 in said sliding bars. The sliding bars 38, .38 are normally held in locked position with respectto the rods 32 and 33'by meansof the springs 43 and 44, which press against the beveled bent up ends 45 and 46 formed at one end thereof and which holdthe other ends of said sliding bars in the slots 47 and 48 of washers 49 and 50 which are secured to rods 32 and 33. The washers 49 and 50 are provided with the pins '51 and 52'which are adapted to seat in holes in the bar 16' of the ink reservoir and to precent' accidental turning of said washer.

As above referred to, in a vertical printing press the bed for the chase of the press has an up and down motion which is just opposite to the up and down motion ofthe cylinder. In other words, these two parts move in opposite directions to print, each passing the otherin the center of the bed of the press on their upward and downward strokes. The bed ofth'e press has a shorter stroke than-the cylinder. This is necessary in order to pro- The rubber squeegees are vide time to turn over the cylinder at the top and bottom of its stroke so that it may deposit its printed material and to take on more material to be printed on its next up ward stroke.

In order to provide for this difference in the length of stroke, the stencil frame is made longer than the bed of the vertical press, but in view of the fact that the space below the gripper bars of the machine which carries the paper to be printed is not sufficient to permit of the stencil frame being as long as really required to make up for the diflerence in stroke of the cylinder, it is necessary to pro vide for the rods 32 and 33 being unlocked from the sliding bars 38 and 38" and said rods being permitted to slide through the metal bar 16 of the ink reservoir when the upward movement of said reservoir is stopped as it strikes the top of the stencil frame.

This movement is accomplished in the following manner:

Mounted around the rods 32 and 33 are the springs 53 and 5a. In the spacer bar 5 of the stencil frame are provided two slots 55 and 56 which are adapted to register with the beveled bent up ends and 46 formed at the ends of the sliding bars 38 and 38 mounted on the top bar 16 of the ink reservoir. When the ink reservoir reaches the end of its upward movement the beveled ends 45 and 46 of the sliding bars 38 and 38 contact with said slots and 56 and the sliding bars are pulled backward against the springs 13 and a l and become unlocked from the rods 32 and 33 and the rods 32 and 33 continue upward until the cylinder has reached the extent of its upward motion. lVhen the rods 32 and 33 have reached the limit of their upward travel the springs 53 and 54 are compressed and thus support the ink reservoir in its position up against the top of the stencil frame. When the cylinder of the press starts downwardly again the springs not being under pressure permit the ink reservoir to resume its normal position opposite the high circumference point on the cylinder and when said ink reservoir continues to move downwardly the sliding bars 38 and 38 are released from the slots 55 and 56 and by reason of the action of springs 43 and 44 are returned to locked position with respect to the rods 32 and 33.

To provide for an adjustment for keeping the ink reservoir in the proper position with respect to the cylinder during the printing operation several thin washers 57 and 58 may be provided. By removing and adding these washers the ink reservoir with its Squeegees mounteo therein can be moved any desired distance to effect a proper adjustment.

To prevent too great a shock to the ink reservoir and stencil frame when the said reservoir strikes the top of the stencil frame on its upward movement, there is provided the metal spring 59 which is secured tothe top bar 16 of the reservoir by the screw 60. The spring 59 strikes the underside ofthe spacer bar of the stencil frame at the extent of the upward movement of theink reser voir and takes up the shock of the contact of the reservoir and frame.

To provide just the proper amount of paint or ink required in the reservoir, the paint or ink is forced into the rubber tube and up into the reservoir from a metal cylinder shown generally in Fig. 8 at 61' and which is bolted to the base of the press, One end of the cylinder 61 has an outlet 62 .controlled by a suitable valve 63. On top of the cylinder at opposite ends thereof-are the openings 64 and 65 to receive the paint or ink. The screw covers 66 and 67 are provided for these openings. On the interior of the cylinder is provided a metal disc 68 with i an edge groove to receive a gasket to make a water tight joint with the interior sides of the cylinder. Secured to the disc is a rod 69 entering through an opening at the end of the cylinder.

The outer end of rod 69 is threaded and passes through an internally threaded ratchet member 70. Member 70 is prevented from moving longitudinally by means of stop members 71, 72; consequently if member 70 is rotated the rod 69 with piston68 will be con strained to move. Any suitablepawl mech anism may be utilized for revolving ratchet 70. Thus the drawing shows a rack bar 73 which is coupled by an adjustable lost-motion link to a lever which operates in unison with the cylinder 37. The arrangement is such that while the cylinder is printing the ratchet is rotated to supply appropriate pressure to the ink supply, while duringnon-printing this pressure is released by a reversal of rotation of member 70. By means of the adjustability of the lost-motion member 7 a the throw of member 69 may be varied and thus also the ink pressure may be controlled.

lVith the foregoing detail description it is believed that the manner of attachment of the stencil printing attachment to the vertical type of press is clearly apparent and also the operation ofthe same in conjunction with the other parts of the press. The receiving surface upon which the design, print or other marking is to be impressed is picked up and held in any suitable manner on the cylinder 37 when it is at its lower position with respect to the bed of the press. The appropriate stencil having the desired markings thereon is mountedin the stencil frame and said stencil frame is secured to the bed of fjii the press by means of the clamps 7 8, 9 and 10. The ink reservoir is mounted between the stencil frame and the press bed and is adapted to operate in an up and down 1n0- tion behind the stencil and is aligned with and operates at the same time with the cylinder 37.

The squeegees mounted in the ink reservoir have a :slight contact with the under surface of the stencil and as the reservoir is moved up and down along the under surface of the stencil the ink in the reservoir is spread by said squeegees across the under surface of the stencil and is forced through the design cut into said stencil.

WVhen the upward travel of the ink reservoir is arrested by the top of the stencil frame its supporting rods 32 and 33 are unlocked from said reservoir by the withdrawal of the sliding bars 38 and 38 and continue to travel upwards until the cylinder 37 has completed its upward movement. During this movement of the rods 32 and 33 the ink or paint reservoir is held in its upward position by the springs 53 and 54. When the cylinder 37 starts downwardly again the springs 53 and 54 are :released and the ink reservoir moves downwardly until the lowermost squeegee 29 is in alignment with the cylinder and at that point the sliding bars 38 and 38 have again become locked with the rods 32 and 33 and the ink reservoir travels downwardly with said rods. During the movement of the stencil frame, ink reservoir, and cylinder, the ink or paint supplied to the reservoir is. accurately controlled by the movement of the disc 68 in the cylinder 61 which is actuated by the operation of one I of the movable bars of the press.

While specific apparatus has been disclosed herein it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that changes in the details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be understood of course that while the invention has been described in connection with a press wherein the bed and platen move with a true vertical motion, that certain novel features of the invention a-re equally well applicable to horizontal bed presses and even to presses where the bed and platen are at an angle to the vertical.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described a printing stencil and a printing platen adapted to be moved relatively thereto in printing, and a reservoir for printing medium movable with said platen, means for moving the platen with the reservoir together as a unit during a portion of the platen movement, and means for uncoupling the reservoir from the platen during another portion of the platen movement.

2. In a stencil controlled printing machine having a vertically movable bed, a stencil mounted on said bed in spaced relation thereto, a. reservoir for printing medium mounted for reciprocating movement between said stencil and bed, a cylindrical platen cooperatautomatically coupling and uncoupling said reservoir to and from said platen.

4. In a stencil controlled printing machine, a stencil, an ink supply member movable over the surface of said stencil, a cylindrical printing platen, said platen and stencil adapted to be reciprocated in mutually opposite directions, the stroke of said platen being greater than the stroke of said stencil.

5. In a stencil controlled printing machine the combination of a bed reciprocable in an up and down direction, a stencil frame attached to said bed in spaced relation therewith, a reservoir, a platen, and means for automatically coupling and uncoupling the reservoir from the platen.

6. In a stencil controlled printing machine the combination .of a stencil, an ink reservoir adapted to move from one end of said stencil to the other, a printing platen movable as a unit with said reservoir during printing, and means operated when said reservoir reaches one end of said stencil for uncoupling the reservoir from said platen to allow said platen to continue its movement independently of said reservoir.

7. In a stencil controlled printing machine the combination of an ink reservoir, a squeegee carried by said reservoir, a cylindrical printing platen movable with said reservoir,

a stencil positioned between said squeegee and said platen, means for uncoupling said platen from said reservoir to allow said platen to execute a longer stroke than the stroke of said reservoir, said uncoupling means also serving to accurately register said squeegee with the high point of said platen 011 the return stroke of the latter.

8. In a machine of the character described the combination of a vertically movable printing platen, a pair of vertical rods movable with said platen, an ink reservoir slidably mounted on said rods, and shiftable means carried by said reservoir for rigidly coupling said reservoir to said rods whereby said reservoir and rods may move as a unit during the printing movement of said platen, and whereby said rods may move independently of said reservoir during another nonprinting movement of said platen.

9. In a machine of the character described the combination of a printing platen, a pair of vertical rods movable as a unit with said platen, a stencil frame vertically movable independently of said platen, an ink reservoir,

:1 cross arm for said reservoir slidably mounted at opposite ends of said rods, shiftable means for coupling said reservoir to said rods, and means responsive to the engagement of said reservoir with one end of said stencil frame for operating said shiftable means to uncouple said reservoir from said rods.

10. A machine according to claim 9 in which means are provided for adjusting the normal coupled position of said reservoir on said rods.

11. An ink reservoir for stencil controlled printing machines comprising a box-like member having a plurality of ink inlet pipes passing through the wall of said reservoir, said pipes extending different distances into said reservoir.

12. An ink reservoir according to claim 11 in which a perforated plate is positioned over said device uniformly to distribute the ink emerging therefrom.

13. Means for supplying printing medium to the face of a vertically movable stencil comprising a box-like member positioned with its open face adjacent said stencil, a plurality of inlet pipes passing through the vertical side Walls of said reservoir, said pipes extending dififerent distances into the interior of said reservoir, and a supply of printing medium connected to said pipes.

14:. Ink supply means according to claim 13 in which means are provided for subjecting the ink supply to pressure during printing and for relieving the pressure during nonprinting.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 2nd day of August, A. D.

WILLIAM R. RESPESS. 

